What is/was for dinner?

[Scepticalscribe]

Agreed on all.

I think I finally figured the key to making great scrambled eggs, heat up the pan low, slowly melt the butter and cook the eggs on low heat with the lid on.

Yes, a combination of a low heat, a very good - heavy bottomed pan, so that whatever is in it will not easily burn - butter, and good quality eggs (not battery hen eggs) - preferably free range, will all help ensure that you can produce seriously tasty scrambled eggs.
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Yes, key is to heat up pan just enough that butter melts then once you see the butter starting to bubble you add the eggs. To get it just right would be so that within 10 seconds of butter hitting pan it starts to bubble then add eggs

Agree completely.

Timing re the melting of the butter - when adding the eggs - is also very important.

And keep a close eye on proceedings. This is not a dish where you can wander away to check your emails or Twitter feed while it is cooking.

 

[stylinexpat]

Yes, a combination of a low heat, a very good - heavy bottomed pan, so that whatever is in it will not easily burn - butter, and good quality eggs (not battery hen eggs) - preferably free range, will all help ensure that you can produce seriously tasty scrambled eggs.
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Agree completely.

Timing re the melting of the butter - when adding the eggs - is also very important.

And keep a close eye on proceedings. This is not a dish where you can wander away to check your emails or Twitter feed while it is cooking.

I have these pans which work great. Not cheap though.
This is my second year into these pans and I think the first year they were amazing but now they are in between good and great. Went from being a 10 on a 1-10 scale to a 7.5 after the second year.

Scanpan PRO IQ Nonstick 2-Piece Black Fry Pan, 10.25-Inch and 12.5-Inch

Scanpan PRO IQ Nonstick 2-Piece Black Fry Pan, 10.25-Inch and 12.5-Inch

www.amazon.com

 

[kazmac]

Yes, a combination of a low heat, a very good - heavy bottomed pan, so that whatever is in it will not easily burn - butter, and good quality eggs (not battery hen eggs) - preferably free range, will all help ensure that you can produce seriously tasty scrambled eggs.
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Agree completely.

Timing re the melting of the butter - when adding the eggs - is also very important.

And keep a close eye on proceedings. This is not a dish where you can wander away to check your emails or Twitter feed while it is cooking.

Yes, great tips by you both, thanks. I've been making scrambled eggs for eons but it's nice to finally nail the trick so they not only come out perfect, but minimal clean up (We do not use non-stick. I know...I know...)

And styling...I love your food photos.

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[Scepticalscribe]

Yes, great tips by you both, thanks. I've been making scrambled eggs for eons but it's nice to finally nail the trick so they not only come out perfect, but minimal clean up (We do not use non-stick. I know...I know...)

And styling...I love your food photos.

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These days, I don't use non-stick either; but, I do use very good quality heavy bottomed Italian stainless steel saucepans (Lagostina) or French copper saucepans (Le Mauviel) - and one or two handmade/handcrafted Italian copper sauté pans that I bought while visiting the cheese festival in Piedmont - some of these I have had for 20 years, and others for a decade or so.

Anyway, non-stick is not necessary; what does matter is that you use some sort of good quality, heavy-bottomed (so things won't burn) pans; that way, they can also be cleaned easily.

And agree, @kazmac; @stylinexpat: Your food photos (especially of Asian dishes) make me positively salivate; they are mouth-watering.

 

[0388631]

Roast chicken with veggies and potatoes. So simple but my lord do I love it. Especially with caramelization under the veggies and the potatoes swimming in that glorious chicken fat that's been reduced to an intensely flavored sauce and that beautiful crispy skin.

It's a ****ing miracle I've never been fat.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Roast chicken with veggies and potatoes. So simple but my lord do I love it. Especially with caramelization under the veggies and the potatoes swimming in that glorious chicken fat that's been reduced to an intensely flavored sauce and that beautiful crispy skin.

It's a ****ing miracle I've never been fat.

Yes, roast chicken is one of those meals that is simply perfect when prepared properly.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

This evening's repast shall be an old winter classic, slightly tweaked: Sautéed sausages with homemade onion gravy and mashed potato (with generous helpings of butter, very generous helpings of butter, chopped parsley and diced French onions).

The potatoes (organic) are peeled and chopped and sitting in water. Likewise, two large onions the been sliced thinly, and are sitting in a dish ready to be called into action.

The herbs (parsley and French onion) are also chopped and ready in a dish.

Tomato puree, and Worcestershire sauce are to hand, as is stock. And butter.

Sausages are still in the fridge, but shall be summoned in due course.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Dinner is cooking away nicely.

The sausages, and indeed, some bacon rashers have been browned, while the onions have been softened in butter.

Stock, and Worcestershire Sauce and Tomato puree have been added to the pan of browned sausage and onion and bacon; meanwhile, the chopped potatoes are on the boil, and are about to be drained.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Dinner is cooking away nicely.

The sausages, and indeed, some bacon rashers have been browned, while the onions have been softened in butter.

Stock, and Worcestershire Sauce and Tomato puree have been added to the pan of browned sausage and onion and bacon; meanwhile, the chopped potatoes are on the boil, and are about to be drained.

Dinner was very tasty, and, as always, I had a generous hand with both butter (and herbs) when preparing the mashed potato.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Toasted ciabatta (slathered with butter) and scrambled eggs (free range, organic) with a few dessertspoons of added full fat milk, ground sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper, plus a little butter.

Tasty, easy, healthy.

 

[kazmac]

I made the raw zucchini pasta, walnuts and sundried tomato sauce, sauteed bok choy & onions and almonds and green juice.

Had pizza and salad afterward.

Probably spiralized pears tonight.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Perusing recipes.

 

[RootBeerMan]

I do believe that tonight will be a New Orleans Monday Night usual, Red Beans and Rice.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I do believe that tonight will be a New Orleans Monday Night usual, Red Beans and Rice.

Inquiring minds would like to know just exactly how these "red beans and rice" are actually prepared.

 

[anika200]

I do believe that tonight will be a New Orleans Monday Night usual, Red Beans and Rice.

Man that sounds good, we love our red beans and rice. Usually we start eating that in the fall and winter cuz its so comforting. Couple weeks ago we had dirty rice which is another favorite of ours from the south, I have a liver pate type thing I make that we use for the dirty part of things.

 

[D.T.]

Yes, great tips by you both, thanks. I've been making scrambled eggs for eons but it's nice to finally nail the trick so they not only come out perfect, but minimal clean up (We do not use non-stick. I know...I know...)

And styling...I love your food photos.

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Of course, the butter mentioned above is key, not much either.

... but most importantly, slow cook, med-low, don't abuse them, push them (plastic spatula of some sort), one direction, gently, or lightly pull them, let them fold over into little yellow pillows, tip the pan let the uncook egg just flow into the space you made. Remove them before you think you need to

Slow and low, that is the tempo

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Dinner is based on a Hairy Bikers recipe: Chicken thighs - skin and bone still attached, gives much better flavour - have been browned (in butter and olive oil)then removed from the pan.

Diced pancetta has been sautéed, and also removed from the pan.

Next in to the pan are roughly chopped carrots and leeks (both organic) and a dish full of minced garlic (organic, around eight cloves, almost a head), sautéed until softened. Some herbs, sea salt and black pepper are added.

A glass of white wine, then stock, then return the chicken to the dish and simmer gently for around half an hour to 40 minutes.

At that stage, the pancetta shall be returned to the pan, along with a mug full of frozen peas, and allowed to mix, mingle, meld and marry.

Next, a large dessertspoon or two of creme fraiche shall be added to thicken the mixture slightly.

At that point, dinner shall be served.

 

[anika200]

Of course, the butter mentioned above is key, not much either.

... but most importantly, slow cook, med-low, don't abuse them, push them (plastic spatula of some sort),

Am I the only person that likes hard scrambled eggs??? I beat mine up in a cast iron pan with medium heat, hard metal spatula and cook them longer than you think you should sometimes until brownish, they are great. Now you have something you can actually chew and eat and it gets a nice texture that takes in cheeses, tomatoes, whatever and melds it together. Mmmmm.

 

[RootBeerMan]

Inquiring minds would like to know just exactly how these "red beans and rice" are actually prepared.

Not a problem! The only issue you might come across is the ingredients. Red Beans are just another name for kidney beans. While almost any brand will do, the best brand around (and the New Orleans favourite) is Camellia Brand. They are the gold standard and they cook and taste better than any other. For sausages I usually use a Polish or mix of Polish and Andouille. It's really easy as can be, and that's what makes it a Monday staple in NOLA and the Gulf Coast. This is from a post of mine on the RoadFood forums a while ago.

I use the basic recipe I grew up with and that Camellia Beans still has on their red beans package! It's easy as pie!

1# Camellia brand red beans (while you can use about any brand, Camellia's are great and don't require soaking)
1# smoked sausage, sliced (I mix up with Polish and Andouille)
8-10 cups water
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup green bell pepper chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 large bay leaf
2 T chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Cajun seasoning to taste

Cook the sausage in a large pot for about 5 minutes. Add vegetables and garlic to pot and cook till onions are soft and clear. Add beans, water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 - 1 1/2 hours, stirring every so often, till beans are done to your desire. Add parsley, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning to taste. Serve with rice (in NOLA and the along the Coast, the beans are ladled onto a plate first and a scoop of rice, I usually use about 1/2 a cup or a bit more, is placed in the middle. In other parts of the country they put a big bed of rice down and ladle the beans on top. For me, it's about the beans, not the rice!). That's really it. Red Beans is an easy recipe. If you don't have Cajun seasoning it works just fine without. Same for parsley.

If you ever want to get authentic beans and sausages, etc..you can do like I do and go to CajunGrocer.com. Their prices are great and shipping isn't a nightmare. I just got a big order of beans and stuff and they were less expensive than buying straight from the company! Couldn't have gotten a better deal unless I went to a store in NOLA!

This is what they should look like! (Not a pic of mine, just a pic of how to properly serve them!)

 

[D.T.]

I beat mine up in a cast iron pan with hard metal spatula [...]

Hahaha, I'm calling EPS on you (Egg Protective Services), that's abuse!

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Not a problem! The only issue you might come across is the ingredients. Red Beans are just another name for kidney beans. While almost any brand will do, the best brand around (and the New Orleans favourite) is Camellia Brand. They are the gold standard and they cook and taste better than any other. For sausages I usually use a Polish or mix of Polish and Andouille. It's really easy as can be, and that's what makes it a Monday staple in NOLA and the Gulf Coast. This is from a post of mine on the RoadFood forums a while ago.



This is what they should look like! (Not a pic of mine, just a pic of how to properly serve them!)

Warm and grateful thanks for sharing this recipe; it looks (and reads) as though it is (or will be) delicious.

I love beans, and of course, spicy sausages, such as andouille sausages.

 

[decafjava]

Am I the only person that likes hard scrambled eggs??? I beat mine up in a cast iron pan with medium heat, hard metal spatula and cook them longer than you think you should sometimes until brownish, they are great. Now you have something you can actually chew and eat and it gets a nice texture that takes in cheeses, tomatoes, whatever and melds it together. Mmmmm.

No I like them like that too, especially with cheese and some veggies.
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Not a problem! The only issue you might come across is the ingredients. Red Beans are just another name for kidney beans. While almost any brand will do, the best brand around (and the New Orleans favourite) is Camellia Brand. They are the gold standard and they cook and taste better than any other. For sausages I usually use a Polish or mix of Polish and Andouille. It's really easy as can be, and that's what makes it a Monday staple in NOLA and the Gulf Coast. This is from a post of mine on the RoadFood forums a while ago.



This is what they should look like! (Not a pic of mine, just a pic of how to properly serve them!)

Fantastic!! My father went to Louisiana several times for work and liked this dish a lot. Never had it myself though.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Am I the only person that likes hard scrambled eggs??? I beat mine up in a cast iron pan with medium heat, hard metal spatula and cook them longer than you think you should sometimes until brownish, they are great. Now you have something you can actually chew and eat and it gets a nice texture that takes in cheeses, tomatoes, whatever and melds it together. Mmmmm.

Reading replies on this thread, no, you are not.

However, I like mine soft, just as I like omelettes somewhat soft.

Poached eggs, and fried eggs, I like the yolks runny as well. And, boiled eggs, I also like those soft.

Now, as for hard boiled egg sandwiches, (with mayo and maybe watercress), that is something else entirely, and I can effortlessly wolf a plate of them if someone is careless enough to leave such a thing within easy reach.

Dinner was delicious.

 

[LizKat]

Cold weather supper for me tonight: poached chicken, a few boiled red fingerling potatoes, some turnip greens I had blanched and frozen earlier in the fall, a little cheddar cheese melted over the latter two items, dash of paprika over the cheese on potatoes .... easy and inviting... and GONE lol.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Cold weather supper for me tonight: poached chicken, a few boiled red fingerling potatoes, some turnip greens I had blanched and frozen earlier in the fall, a little cheddar cheese melted over the latter two items, dash of paprika over the cheese on potatoes .... easy and inviting... and GONE lol.

Poached chicken, yum.